Wave-responsive device.



'PATENTED APR. 5, 1904.

7 F. W. MIDGLEY. WAVE RESPONSIVB DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

Fig 2.

WITNESSES V Q'ZWZ I UNITED STATES Patented April 5, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. MIDGLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO INTERNATIONAL WIRELESS TELEGRAPH COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY, AND MARIE V. GEHRING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

WAVE-RESPONSIVE DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 756,676, dated April 5, 1904.

Application filed November 10, 1902. Serial No. 130,638- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. MIDG- LEY, a citizen of the United States; residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia 5 and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Wave-Responsive Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a Wave-responsive device to be used in wireless signaling sys- IO tems, more especially those in which the energy representing the signal or message is transmitted through the natural media in electroradiant form.

My invention consists of a wave-responsive I5 device which comprises two metallic masses in contact, such masses being of similar or dissimilar composition and one of them having a coating of oxid while the other is preferably burnished. I find that by suitably 2O choosing the metals and properly proportioning their contact-surface I am enabled to detect the presence of electrical radiations with a great degree of sensitiveness. r

In the wave-responsive device herein de- 5 scribed the influence of the electrical radiations is such as to reduce the resistance of the contact between the metallic masses, which resistance remains reduced during the persistence of the electroradiant energy, and 3 upon the cessation of said energy the resistance of the contact returns automatically to approximately its original amount. The wave responsive device as herein described is therefore of the self-restoring kind.

One metallic mass of the wave-responsive deviceh'as a flat contact-surface while the other mass is of spherical, conical, or other shape, whereby the extent of the area of contact or contact-surface between the two masses is 4 small, though great as compared with a sharp point orline-contact, Care is to be observed, however, not to reduce this contact-surface to a mere point either in the conical or spherical arrangements. If a sharp point were 45 employed, actual metallic contact between the two masses would occur under the influence of the electroradiations, and in order to restore the resistance of the device it would be necessary to administer a mechanical shock or to bring new portions of the metallic masses into engagement.

In the preferred form of my device both metallic masses are of silver. The one having the flat surface is burnished while the spherical mass is the oxidized member. It is to be understood, however, that the flat-surfaced mass may be the oxidized one, while the spherical mass would be burnished; and, furthermore, it is to be understood that in place of the spherical shape any other suitable shape may be employed which will give small area of contact without having a decided sharp point. Besides a combination of silver and silver, silver and zinc masses may be used, in which case the zinc is the oxidized metal. Silver and tin may also be used, in which case tin is the oxidized metal. Tin and zinc may be used, in which case zinc is the oxidized metal. Platinum and silver may be used, in which case the silver is the oxidized metal. Gold and silver may be used, in which case the silver is the oxidized metal. Copper and silver may be used, in which case the copper is the oxidized metal. Copper and tin may be used, in which case copper is the oxidized metal. Iron and steel may also be used.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of one form of the waveresponsive device. Fig. 2 is a modified form.

' In Fig. l, 1 represents a cylindrical tube of glass or other insulating material provided with brass end caps 2 2. 3 is a cylindrical plug of one of the numerous metals aforementioned, which is mounted upon the rod 4:, which extends through the cap 2 and carries on its screw-threaded end the clamping-nuts 5 and 6, between which may be secured the circuit-wire 12. 7 represents the cooperating metallic mass forming the complementary contact of any of the numerous pairs of metals above named. As seen, 7 has a bullet-shaped end, which bears against the metallic plug 3 over a relatively small area. The mass 7 is secured to the rod 8, which is screw-threaded at its outer end and supplied With the nuts 9 and 10. The nut 9 serves to move the plug 7 within the tube for the purposes of adjustment, and such plug 7 is held against the complementary plug 3 by the spiral spring 13. By this arrangement the pressure at the contact-surface will be nicely adjusted. A circuit conductor or wire 11 is clamped between the nuts 9 and 10. As previously stated, in the preferred form plugs 3 and 7 are of silver, the contact-surface of 3 being highly burnished, while 7 is oxidized. Furthermore, the shape of the end of the plug 7 is preferably approximately spherical, though conical and other forms may be employed provided the contact is not made by a sharp point. \Vithin the tube 1 is placed a small mass of drier or desiccator for the purpose of keeping the atmosphere within the tube perfectly dry.

In Fig. 2, 14: represents an evacuated glass tube, within which are the metallic plugs 15 and 16, forming any one of the numerous pairs previously described. The cylindrical plug 15 is preferably highly burnished on its contact-surface, and the plug 16 has a blunt conical point and is preferably the oxidized member. From the plug 16 extends the leading-in wire 18, sealed in the wall of the tube. At 17 is shown a spiral conductor operating as a Weak spring and serving also as a leading-in wire for the plug 16. being sealed in the walls of the tube 14 at one end and connected exteriorly with the conductor 19.

It is to be understood that conductors 11 and 12 are connected in circuit, as is usual in wave-responsive devices now well known in the art, the same being true of conductors 18 and 19.

It is to be further understood that instead of two metallic masses a plurality of metallic masses may be employed in series or in parallel with each other, the arrangement embodying the principles herein disclosed.

What I claim is- 1. A wave-responsive device comprising an oxidized-silver member in contact with a member of silver.

2. A wave-responsive device comprising an oxidized-silver member in engagement with a non-oxidized-silver member.

3. A wave-responsive device comprising an oxidized-silver member in contact with a burnished-silver member.

4. A wave-responsive device comprising an oxidized-silver member in contact over a relativel y small area with a burnished-silver member.

5. A wave-responsive device comprising a silver plug havingaburnished contactface, an oxidized-silver plug in contact with said burnished face over a relatively small area, means for adjusting the pressure of contact between said plugs, and an envelop inclosingsaid plugs.

6. A wave-responsive devicc,coniprising an oxidized-silver plugin engagement with a nonoxidized-silver mass.

7. A wave-responsive device,comprising an oxidized-silver mass in engagement with a b u rnished-silver surface.

8. A wave-responsive device, comprising an oxidized silver mass having a rounded end, and a burnished conducting plate engaged thereby.

9. A wave-responsive device, comprising an' oxidized silver mass engaging by a rounded end with a non-oxidized-silvered surface.

10. A wave responsive device comprising an oxidized -silver member in contact with a member of silver and means for adjusting the pressure of the contact.

11. A wave responsive device comprising an oxidized-silver member, a member of silver making contact therewith and a spring for increasing the pressure of the contact.

12. A waveresponsive device comprising an oxidized-silver member, a member of silver making contact therewith and an adjust able spring for regulating the pressure of the contact.

13. A wave responsive device comprising an oxidized silver member in contact with a non-oxidized-silver member and means for adjusting the pressure of the contact.

14. A waveresponsive device comprising an oxidized silver member in contact with a burnished silver member and means for adjusting the pressure of the contact.

15. A wave responsive device comprising an oxidized silver member in contact over a relatively small area with a burnished-silver member and means for adjusting the pressure of the contact.

16. A waveresponsive device comprising a silver plug, an oxidized-silver plug in 0011-" tact therewith and a spring for increasing the pressure of said contact.

17. A Wave responsive device comprising a silver plug in contact with a non-oxidizedsilver mass and means for adjusting the pressure of said contact.

18. A waveresponsive device comprising an oxidized-silver mass in contact with a burnished-silver surface and means for adjusting the pressure of the contact.

FREDK. W. MIDGLEY.

Witnesses:

ALIcn T. BURROUGH, MAE HoFMANN.

IIS 

